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Biomedical subjects

R L Weiner

Publications and source records attributed to R L Weiner.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1987

Reconstruction of the anterior skull base following craniofacial resection.

Reconstruction of the anterior skull base (ASB) following craniofacial resection must seal off the cranial cavity from the upper respiratory tract and provide structural support for the brain. The inferiorly based pericranial flap is strong, pliable, and well vascularized and is especially suited for reconstruction of small-to moderate-sized midline defects of the ASB. Surgical technique of pericranial flap reconstruction used in three cases is described. Indications for this flap and other types of reconstruction are discussed and compared. We believe pericranial flap reconstruction of the ASB is technically easy, cosmetically acceptable, and safe.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Brain stem abscess managed with computed tomography-guided stereotactic aspiration.

The importance of stereotactic aspiration to the successful management of three cases of brain stem abscess is discussed with special reference to the advantages offered over medical treatment alone. Stereotactic aspiration allows evacuation of pus, accurate bacteriological diagnosis, selection of an optimal antibiotic regimen, and instillation of antibiotics directly into the abscess cavity. In two of the three cases described here, the abscess reaccumulated after initial aspiration despite appropriate maximal medical therapy. A repeat aspiration was required before resolution occurred. We conclude that medical management alone is not adequate for some cases of brain stem abscess. There was no morbidity that could be attributed to the procedure, suggesting that the risk of stereotactic aspiration is probably quite low and is likely to be less than the risk of incorrect diagnosis, suboptimal choice of antibiotics, or progression of the lesion despite appropriate maximal medical therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Hemispheric disconnection syndrome persisting after anterior cerebral artery aneurysm rupture.

Hemispheric disconnection syndrome is a rarely reported sequela of aneurysm rupture. Serial neurobehavioral examinations of such a patient after clipping of a right pericallosal artery that had bled into a large portion of the corpus callosum disclosed defects in interhemispheric transfer of information and competitive movements between the left and right extremities. Although the patient's postoperative memory deficit subsequently resolved, his disconnection syndrome persisted and was primarily responsible for his disability despite otherwise normal neurological findings. We studied a second patient with a hematoma in the genu of the corpus callosum secondary to an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Although the second patient also exhibited postoperative memory problems, her hemispheric disconnection symptoms were minimal and commensurate with a more circumscribed corpus callosum lesion. Neurobehavioral sequelae of aneurysm or AVM rupture involving the anterior circulation, which may be overlooked in the absence of a detailed examination, can produce persistent disability in many patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography in relation to the neurobehavioral sequelae of mild and moderate head injuries.

Twenty patients admitted for minor or moderate closed-head injury were studied to investigate the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurobehavioral sequelae. The MRI scans demonstrated 44 more intracranial lesions than did concurrent computerized tomography (CT) scans in 17 patients (85%); most of these lesions were located in the frontal and temporal regions. Estimates of lesion volume based on MRI were frequently greater than with CT; however, MRI disclosed no additional lesions that required surgical evacuation. Neuropsychological assessment during the initial hospitalization revealed deficits in frontal lobe functioning and memory that were related to the size and localization of the lesions as defined by MRI. Follow-up MRI and neuropsychological testing at 1 month (13 cases) and 3 months (six cases) disclosed marked reduction of lesion size paralleled by improvement in cognition and memory. These findings encourage further investigation of the prognostic utility of MRI for the clinical management and rehabilitation of mild or moderate head injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Computed tomography in herpes simplex encephalitis.

Nine patients with herpes simplex encephalitis examined by CT scan were reviewed. A total of 15 satisfactory scans was analyzed. The majority of our cases had CT scan abnormalities: lucency 63% (5 of 8, one case with suboptimal scan), mass effect 50% (4 of 8), abnormal contrast enhancement 57% (4 of 7). The earliest CT scan finding was lucency, presented in two out of three cases studied within 48 hours following onset of symptoms. The primary role of CT scan is to support the suspected diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis as well as to indicate the best site for brain biopsy and to permit early effective treatment with adenine arabinoside.

Adolescent↗